Notes for Michelangela Cardella: Michelena's sister,Geochina, was the mother of Vincent and Pauline. She died in childbirth along with her third child. Her mother, Antoinette, told Michelena "You must marry Dominico and care for the children." She obeyed her mother... and became the mother of Jennie and Eleanor.
On March 2,1910, Michelena,Pauline, and Jennie (and presumably Dominic) took a boat to America where they joined Vincent in Chicago. Later that year Eleanor was born.
Michelena was known as the "grandmother of the North Side". She was so warmhearted that here, as in Castelbuono, families would leave their children with her while they went to work. They used to say that she raised most of the North Side of Chicago. Many of her brood remembers her better than their own parents.
She was a very affectionate,outgoing woman with a marvelous sense of humor. She loved to play jokes...she'd wrap a big fancy package with a gag gift inside (old shoe,etc.) She would give it away beforehand because she would laugh and laugh... but everyone would keep a straight face until the proper time and go along with the gag. Then she would give you the real present.
She was tiny and birdlike with lovely thick dark hair. Gene says the first thing you did in her house was "sit down" -then "eat". If you quit after only the 2nd or 3rd helping - she would get disgusted and say "Ohhh- You are a funny one!" (how peculiar you are..chi si titu)
most info...from notes taken by Marie 1966
More About Michelangela Cardella: Burial: Memorial Park,Skokie, sect.2 lot 39. Immigrated: Apr 10, 1906
More About Michelangela Cardella and Dominico Ferrara: Marriage: Abt. 1895, Castelbuono,Palermo,Sicily.
Children of Michelangela Cardella and Dominico Ferrara are:
+Geochina(Jennie) Ferrara, b. Aug 8, 1896, Castelbuono,Palermo,Sicily, d. Aug 25, 1986, Evanston,IL.
Michelangela Cardella (b. Apr 20, 1866, d. 1943)
Notes for Michelangela Cardella: